Give a Reason: Fushigi Yuugi Style
by Sailor Ronin Usa-chan
Summary: The ginzuishou can't grant a wish and spirits its owner to a world where wishes have no boundaries as long as the proper sacrifices are made.
1. Chapter 1

Her heart was breaking.

Or at least that was how it felt to the elderly queen. She was like an ever blossoming rose. Neither the ravages of time nor anything else could ever make the seemingly young woman wither. And as the tears trailed like raindrops down her cheeks she was once again reminded just how much that she hated this 'gift.' For though she looked so young, she was in fact well over a thousand years old, yet her beloved husband whom she had cherished and cared for had succumbed to his human fate of dying of old age. He had survived so many battles and conflicts and in the end the great 'Tuxedo Kamen' was taken down by time itself.

She hated this curse so. No matter how she had begged and pleaded both the keeper of time and her own holy gem, she was never able to stop his aging. She watched him wither in front of her and nothing could have hurt quite so badly. To be immortal and watch your loved ones die around you… it was more horrifying than any monster she had ever encountered. A fate she never wanted to have to suffer through again. So that left only one choice…

"Holy _Ginzuishou_ ," the words were like a caress as she spared the tiny gem a glance. The gem sat on a pedestal between her and her husband's throne. She had wanted it there to prove how much she loved and trusted him, and he had always understood. Her Mamoru… She wanted to beg for his life to be returned, but before the time keeper had passed on she had been warned that such a wish would be pointless. But maybe this wish wouldn't be…

She stared at the tearful young woman that was reflected on the crystal's smooth surface. It hurt knowing that young woman was her. That she looked just like she had when she first became ruler. " _Ginzuishou_ ," this time her voice had trickled to a plea as she picked up the gem and held it tight enough for its edges to cut into her skin. "Let me die," the words spilled from her lips as easily as the tears that fell from her eyes. She didn't want to live without her loved ones anymore. She couldn't handle it. "Please…"

The gem began to flash a variety of colors as it felt its Mistress's pain. It flickered as it sought to channel energy to grant the wish before falling silent in her hand before making the attempt again. The idea that her dreams just might have a chance of being achieved was almost enough to make her weep out loud in hope. But she dared not give lease to this thought, she knew if she did then she would most likely be denied her fondest dream.

She was on the verge of praying to the crystal as memories washed over her again. Memories that hadn't touched her mind since the days they had happened. Memories of her friends' funerals... She had outlived every single one of her senshi, and that included Pluto. Early on, before her Mamoru even showed signs of aging, her friends and guardians had all met up with mortals they didn't want to live without. They, unlike her, seemed to realize that their loved ones would eventually wither and slowly die in front of them. That and the fact that the senshi, excluding her of course, could not bare children. She had interceded on their behalf and managed to break the spells that stopped them from living lives full of love and family… But their immortality had been stolen away in the process.

Back then it had seemed so romantic and heart-warming. She had even been the god-mother of all them that had children. But… the children were all old now, they had moved away when their parents died. Honestly, she couldn't blame them; she wished she could just as easily escape the heartbreak that being left alone caused. She'd give up anything to join them, even her life.

The first funeral had knocked her over unaware. It had seemed surreal and like a giant dream. She hadn't known the grey withered form in the casket. That hadn't been her sweet Ami that had always chided her to study harder. That hadn't been the young doctor that had solved so many diseases that people claimed incurable before her death. No, it had been an old stranger who had reached the end of her natural life span. She hadn't even cried over her the old woman who had once been one of her best friends.

The next death wasn't any easier to accept.

How could the withered corpse in the coffin be compared to Makoto? She didn't look like the girl that had valiantly saved her life, nor did she resemble the graceful woman who had opened a café and flower shop. It had been like a trance being at that funeral. While everyone wept she had stared blankly. Some of the others hadn't forgiven her for failing to show emotion at two of her best friends' funerals.

What kind of monster had she become? They looked so different compared to her, who still looked as she had on her wedding day. Minako's death hadn't improved her memory as once again she stared emotionlessly at the figure tucked snugly in the wooden box. Of course it was a pretty box, but it was still made of nothing but mere wood. You would think that the girl who had been Crystal Tokyo's sweetheart, the greatest actress that had ever lived, would have gotten something better than being condemned to having her mortal remains rot away in a box of wood.

But Rei's death was different. Though the form still wasn't the young woman who had worked so hard to keep Crystal Tokyo safe, she could still see traces of her best friend in the worn features. It was shameful to know that the only guardian she had shed tears for was the warrior of fire. Hadn't the others deserved her grief just as much? But as she looked at the peaceful and happy expression on Rei's face, it had torn her heart to shreds. She had cried hard releasing all of her loneliness that had come about as her friends were taken one by one. After Rei had been put to rest no more tears had trailed down her cheeks. That was until her husband's death, he had been the only link that kept her hanging onto life. As he died she realized she wanted to join him, she'd do anything to join him.

She had known he was going to die of old age of course, she had watched him do so. The _Ginzuishou_ had granted him a much longer lifetime than he would have originally had, he was able to live for a thousand years by her side. But even that amount of time seemed like a single drop in the entire ocean when she realized while everyone else around her seemed to get older, she remained fresh and young. He had even teased her about it, claimed the _Ginzuishou_ couldn't allow such a beautiful woman to turn into an old fart like his self. His smiles and touches had been so soft, so kind. He must have known what she refused to believe, that she would live far longer than he ever would. He had even tried to encourage her to take another partner once his age caught up to him. It had been their first fight and their last.

After his death, she found out she was truly immortal. And it didn't happen by some great revelation, things were never so simple or kind for her. No, she found out a week after his body had been laid to rest inside the cold harsh ground. It had taken all of her willpower not to throw herself on his casket and refuse to leave his side when it happened. It had been so hard, and exactly a week later all the pressures came to a peak inside of her.

She couldn't handle it anymore. She had tried but the pain was so great. It hurt so much. She couldn't just grieve for him, it hurt to know it was the fate of everyone around her. All those she talked to, all those that she smiled at. They would all one day suffer the same indignity. She just couldn't deal with such a horrible future.

She had learned she was immortal when she awoke from the swoon she caused when she had sliced her wrists and stained the flawless black floor with a wave of pure white blood. She remembered seeing the color and staring at in horror before blacking out. Her daughter had found her the next morning, a woman that already looked double her own age.

Her daughter, her Chibiusa hated her with a passion. She blamed her for the deaths of the warriors and of course the death of her own father. The woman was convinced that the seemingly young ruler should have known of all the powers of the holy gem. That she should have realized taking away the _Ginzuishou_ 's powers and turning the guardians into normal women was a death sentence. She had yelled and fought with her mother after she had found her on the ground. Called her every name in the book and then some, claimed that because of her mother's selfishness that she Chibiusa would never get to rule Crystal Tokyo as was her birth right. That Usagi as she was once known didn't deserve the throne anymore and had demanded it from her right then and there. She had denied the girl such a thing and Chibiusa had left with even more hatred for her mother than before.

Serenity's eyes were unfocused as she stared at the darkening gem. Even it was denying her. Had she deserved this punishment somehow? Had she not performed a task she was destined to do? Perhaps… perhaps it was because she had forced the world to see things from her view? In the creation of the utopia she had achieved she had done little more than brainwash people into believing as she did. Surely this was punishment for such a gesture?

A stream of tears leaked onto the holy gem as she wept again. If she could go back in time she would have undone it all. She would have been greedy and denied the others their wish,. She felt horrible for realizing such a thing but she was too weak, too much of a coward to go through life all by herself. She needed them by her side and it was something she couldn't do a thing about. She never would have cleansed the Earth had she known this was the outcome. Maybe the cleansing was what had turned her mortal blood into something more like that of a Goddess? All of her life she had just wanted to be normal, a normal teenager, a normal wife, but now she realized that no matter how desperately she wished for it, it would never come true.

The crystal shined as her tears landed on it. It was connected to her and realized the emotional turmoil she was in. It vibrated hard, almost enough to knock itself out of her hands, as she desperately held her breath. After all this time… would it? A fountain of multiple colors of lights seemed to erupt from it and she gasped in wonder as this dazzling light seemed to swirl around her. It was like being inside a rainbow and seeing colors that had never even been discovered.

Since she was busy staring at the lights in awe and shock she never realized what exactly had happened. She never knew that the light she had saw was the Ginzuishou shattering. The force of her wish to die had collided with what it had always done, protect its holder. And so now all of its magic and power floated in the air around the awestruck girl.

Serenity reached out to touch the seemingly solid colors and stared in awe as her skin seemed to absorb some of the hue. She was so entranced she never noticed herself shrink until she was as tiny as the _Ginzuishou_ had once been. She was still dazzled by the lights when the _Ginzuishou_ reformed itself with her in its protective center and began to harden.

Serenity was too shocked to do anything as she watched the colors turn into hard bands and her hand struck a cool solid surface where there had once been light. The colors were still as awe inspiring as ever but they were like a solid wall now. A roaring sound filled her ears and crying out in pain she clamped her hands over them to drown out the noise. This wasn't supposed to happen! This wasn't what she had wished for!

She whirled and struck out at the walls as hard as she could. She practically bounced off of them and landed in a heap on the ground. In desperation she knelt on the hardening ground and clasped her hands in desperate prayer, she stared in horror at her arms that were being encased into the multi-colored crystal. This was going to be her death? Instead of the harsh underground she was going to be buried alive in the _Ginzuishou_? She tried to call out, to order the _Ginzuishou_ to let her go but a bright silver flash blinded her and by the time her senses had began to return she was completely encased and her thoughts simply died off.

The _Ginzuishou_ had figured out a way to solve its dilemma. It hadn't killed its mistress, but it hadn't left her awake to suffer either. It hovered into the air before vanishing in a spark of black light as it vanished from the known world to heal itself and one day manage to free its mistress from her curse once and for all.


	2. Chapter 2

Chibiusa, the queen of Crystal Tokyo, stared out at the massive crowd spread beneath her. As queen she always had the best views and this one of seeing her subjects celebrating her birthday, always took her breath away. This year was different, however, this year she was remembering not just her own birthday, but her mother's as well. Oh, how Chibiusa hated herself at times now. She had fought with her mother over what had seemed oh so important before, but now she realized that the squabbles they had endured over things that couldn't be changed were pointless. Her mother was gone, the _Ginzuishou_ was missing, and Chibiusa was heartbroken every day.

She sighed heavily as she saw images of her mother held aloft in the crowds' hands. Everyone loved the eternally young queen. It had been heartbreaking to the kingdom when it was revealed she was missing. The only protector left was Chibiusa herself, and since she refused all suitors, she was going to be destined to be the last once more. "Puu," she whispered as a tear trailed down her weathered cheek. What she wouldn't have done for one of her best and most trusted friends to be alive.

Unable to take the grieving and the celebration that was erupting from all corners of the kingdom, Chibiusa let the silky curtain fall from her fingertips and turned her back on the scene. What she needed was to forget what day it was, she needed to escape, if even for the length of a short nap. She just wanted to get away from it all, she'd even be willing to follow her mother if it meant she could apologize or have the other woman back. She climbed into her lonely four poster bed and pulled the covers up tight beneath her chin. "I'm sorry, Usagi….no, mama."

ooo

"Small Lady?" the voice was hesitant and as the speaker stepped into view he gasped. "You look… so different. I have not seen you in so many years, and yet I never imagined you would change." He shook his head in confusion, his pale mane fluttering with the movement. A pair of eyes as red as Chibiusa's own was staring at the older woman in pure shock. "Forgive me for being rude, but, what are you doing here?"

She couldn't answer, she had not seen him in so long. "Elios?" his name was the only thing she could force from her lips for a long moment. Feelings that had filled her when she was still a young child came back and hit her full force. Of course, this was the sole reason she had for never marrying, never even considering a suitor. "I can't believe it's really you! I thought…." Her voice trailed off as she realized she wasn't even aware of what she had thought happened to him. It had been so long after all, why was their contact broken?

His Pegasus form dissolved around him as he stepped closer to her. He was a little taller now, more the size of a young man the young boy he had been before. "I felt your pain." He hesitated for the breath of a moment while he struggled with what he was going to relay next. "Chibiusa?" the words sounded so odd even to him. As he got her full attention he took a deep breath and stared her straight in the eye, "I know where your mother is."

Chibiusa felt like the prison she had found herself in, was suddenly shattered and she was free. "Usagi?" she rushed forward and grabbed Elios's hands, she didn't care the young man's cheeks gained a pale pink tint from the contact. "Where is she? Is she alive?"

Elios tore his gaze away from her hopeful one. "I don't know how to explain this, she is not dead, well, not exactly. The _Ginzuishou_ can't kill her." He risked the pause to glance at her eyes and cursed himself as he saw how happy his words had made her. "Wait," he whispered and took a step away so he had no contact from her. "Chibiusa, listen to me, you can never see her again. She is not in our world."

The world as she knew it was torn from under her feet. She collapsed like a doll that had its strings cut and just stared woodenly up at what she had assumed was her savior. "No. There has to be a way!" her arguing voice was loud and echoed in their dream landscape.

Elios winced from the noise. "There is only one way, and you cannot do that to your people, Chibiusa. They would be all alone."

"I don't care anymore!" Chibiusa had gained her feet and towered over him her crimson eyes bright with fervor. "If there is a way to get the only family I have left back, I am going to do it! What is it, Elios? What are you not telling me?"

"She's been reborn into another world. I only know because my power lapses into that world as well. I have seen her dreams, and right now she is stuck inside a dream as she waits for the _Ginzuishou_ to release her."

The decision was made in an instant. No matter the consequences she was going to set things right. "Take me to her, please, Elios."

He could never deny her. So, with the power he possessed, he brought her soul with him across worlds. Unfortunately, this meant that her physical body was abandoned and grew cold as death claimed its due. There would be no going back for Chibiusa of Crystal Tokyo.

ooo

"What is it?" Seiryuu studied the statue closely as he walked around it again and again.

"I'm not sure…" Suzaku was just as puzzled as his brother. The life sized crystalized figure of the young woman had just suddenly appeared in their midst. "Perhaps she is a fellow goddess?" he frowned at those words as soon as he said them. He knew the world was based on four gods, not five.

Seiryuu fairly snorted at his brother's remark. "I would not doubt if this is a trap of some sort… maybe from those others?" he took a step closer and stared at the statue's face. "It looks real, too real."

Suzaku felt he had to agree. He himself stepped closer and gently touched the statue's cheek. She was in such a demure pose, just like a girl with her hands clasped in desperate prayer. "She looks… sad." Seiryuu had stepped aside so his brother could get closer and Suzaku put his face next to the girls. "I think, she's real." He decided as he stared into those endless sapphire eyes behind the crystal glaze.

"Suzaku!" Seiryuu had noticed something peculiar instantly. "The closer you get, the more that thing is starting to glow, be careful!" rivals as they may be, he still cared somewhat for his brother.

"Really?" Suzaku stepped even closer his nose touching the girl's. She reminded him of his miko to be honest. So young and pure and even that silly hairstyle. Being this close he could actually see the glow himself. The entire statue was shining with a reddish hue. "Interesting," he mused. "Seiryuu, come here."

Seiryuu frowned but did as he bade. As his brother motioned closer he signed in disdain and stepped as close as Suzaku was. As soon as he was within range he realized that the crystal now had threads of blue intertwining with the red power that was throbbing throughout. He abruptly took a step backwards and the threads vanished as if they had never been. "Suzaku, I believe this girl might be one of those ancient mikos that was punished for their indulging themselves and leaving their kingdom to suffer, even you said she looks like a miko. We should leave her to her fate."

"No," Suzaku was not to be denied. "She is a goddess, look at her. We should save her, please Seiryuu, step forward again. I think with both of our powers combined we should be able to awaken her. I believe the fact that our powers were awoken when we were near her proves that. She is like us, I'm sure she has a miko of her own."

Seiryuu resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His brother was such a romantic. Still believing that this was a horrible idea, Seiryuu stepped even closer than before and let his hand graze the crystalized figure. He felt like sparks were traveling from him into the limbs of the girl. Blue and red power was seeping from his and his brother's bodies and causing the entire figure to glow and pulse.

Suzaku caught his breath as a giant crack resounded through the area and a moment later deep cracks traveled swiftly over the silent figure. Another loud crack had him wince from the sheer loudness and a bright light stole his vision. A moment later the light died down and a sharp intake of breath caught his attention; the girl inside the crystal had finally awoken.

"Where am I?" the woman stepped out of the shattered remains of her prison and studied her environment as carefully as she could. All too soon her thoughts were snagged by the two men who were glowing and studying her with scrutiny. "Who are you?"

"My name is Suzaku, I am pleased to meet you, Miss…?"

"I think it is Serenity, but I do not know for sure. I do not remember anything about myself or how I was in a crystal or anything, but, Serenity sounds right." She turned her puzzled gaze to the silent stranger studying her with narrowed eyes. "You are…?"

Seiryuu snorted. He didn't trust this woman. She didn't remember her name? A likely story. "Seiryuu, and I do not trust you. Suzaku believes you are one of us a god, but I do not. I will be keeping an eye on you."

"I'm sorry." Serenity did her best to escape the steady gaze of the angry brother. "I did not mean to make you upset, and I promise I will do my best to ensure it does not keep happening." She sighed heavily and was startled by a light touch on her shoulder.

"That's enough, Seiryuu." Suzaku turned his heated gaze on Seiryuu and gently patted Serenity's shoulder. "She has given you no reason to treat her as a criminal just yet. If she is as I believe one of us. That means she has a miko somewhere out there. She will one day be summoned and we should support her and allow her to remain with us until then. I am positive that the reason she appeared in our midst is a vital one." His expression softened and he smiled serenely at the young woman, "Serenity, I promise that no harm will come to you. I will do my best to help you."

"You realize that our own mikos are extremely close to summoning us, correct? How do you propose to protect her and help her if we are all competing against one another? My miko has been gathering her warriors at a steady pace and soon my time to arise will be upon us."

"Um," Serenity cocked her head much like a curious dog hearing a sound for the first time. "You are gods?" for some reason she didn't exactly seem surprised, but the idea was so foreign and strange. The magic that still seemed to crackle in the air had not phased her but the mention of otherworldly beings?

"We are," Seiryuu answered, defiance reverberating through his words. "You are not. We have a miko, a woman who has been summoned from another world. She will meet several warriors that have been born here with the express purpose of summoning us. When that happens we will be summoned to our miko's side and we will give her the power to have three of her wishes granted."

Suzaku was secretly relieved that this mysterious woman was not a miko. He was more certain than ever that he would not want her life risked as was the custom of all of the mikos that had been summoned. Out of the two that had been summoned one had been devoured by her god, and the other had been able to go home but had not had the happy ending she had so desperately deserved. Things were not looking too good for the two current mikos in play either so it would be far better for her to truly be a god.

"So if I am a god, that means I have a miko too? How would I know when she enters the world and how would I even give her powers? I do not feel any power in me."

Seiryuu smirked. "You probably do not have power in you." He ignored Suzaku's glare. "If you even had a miko you would know as soon as she entered the world. While you wouldn't have contact with her, you would feel a very strong rush of power flow through you and your symbol of power would glow brightly." Seiryuu's eyes narrowed as he noticed something quite odd. "Serenity, have you always had that crescent moon on your forehead?" Suzaku's righteous laughter was his only response as he felt the power swirling around the young woman in their midst.


End file.
